Effects of Chlorine and Salt Water on Your Jewelry

The jewelry pieces or jewelry sets you own, that contain precious metals and gemstones is definitely a prized possession. Hence, it should be well taken care of to avoid its being damaged. There are a number of environmental factors, including chemicals naturally found or intentionally incorporated in water, that may cause damage to your precious metals and gemstones. And there are precautionary measures that you should be aware of to prevent damage to your jewelry. Some of the effects of hard water that has specific chemicals to your jewelry are discussed below.

One of the major destructive causes of damage is exposure to chlorinated water. We all know that chlorine is commonly found in swimming pools, water tubs, and just everywhere, including in our households. This chemical can be harmful to your precious metals, especially when exposed for long periods of time. If precious metals such as gold are placed in chlorine water or bleach, stress fractures will result, disintegrating stress joints of the jewelry. Gemstones such as tourmaline, amethyst, and turquoise are also susceptible to damage when placed in these harsh chemicals.

Saltwater in sea is another environmental factor that is harmful to your precious metals. The saltwater will erode the soldered joints of your jewelry. It is important that before swimming in seas, you should take off your jewelry to prevent it from being damaged. Gemstones are also prone to serious damage when they are exposed to saltwater. Such exposure can have several effects on the overall quality and appearance of your gemstones.

It is important to know these facts so you would know how to take care of your prized possessions. You don’t want to degrade the value of your jewelry by not knowing these things and committing a mistake.